Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight (20 percent
over normal weight guidelines for your frame and height)
can increase your risk for developing diabetes, heart disease,
high blood pressure, and other medical problems. Being obese
(more than 30 percent above healthy body weight) doubles
the risk for CVD. For more information, visit the Web site
of the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases at http://www.niddk.nih.gov.
You Can Achieve a Healthy Weight
If you’re overweight, develop a weight-reduction
plan with your physician. Studies show that "diets"
don’t work; controlling what you eat is only part
of the challenge. To take the weight off (and keep it off),
you need to make permanent lifestyle changes.
By exercising daily and eating healthy foods, you can maintain
long-term weight loss. The key to daily exercise for weight
management is increasing the total time you spend being
active during the day to at least 30 minutes and making
this a permanent part of your life.
A woman’s attitude is the most important factor.
To achieve long-term weight loss, you must be willing to
make permanent behavioral changes.
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Your physician may recommend that you consult with a registered
dietician (RD), who can help you develop a weight loss plan.
The RD can help you follow a sensible diet and exercise
regimen to achieve a healthy weight. The RD understands
that these changes take time, so he or she can develop a
gradual plan for changing food-intake patterns.
The goals of medical nutrition therapy are:
- to help you separate food and weight-related behaviors
from psychological issues
- to develop an action plan for changing food-intake patterns
- to create a lifelong sensible diet and exercise program
for maintaining a healthy weight
- to help you use support and referral sources to stay
on track
- to provide information on specific nutritional recommendations
for associated medical conditions, such as heart disease,
diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
Getting the Support You Need
To keep your weight-management plan on track, support is
crucial. Here's a list of support groups, Web sites, and
other referral sources:
- Overeaters Anonymous, a national self-help group
based on the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step Program, offers
local support groups. For more information, visit http://www.overeatersanonymous.org.
- For healthy meal planning, menus, and other tips, visit
the American Heart Association at http://www.americanheart.org
- Inquire at your local hospital. Many offer weight-management
support groups.
References
- “Aim
for a Healthy Weight,” NHLBI, 2002.
- “Medical
Nutrition Therapy: A Solution that Saves Time and Money,”
American Dietetic Association, 2002.
Source of Material: RockHill Communications, 14
Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004, (610) 667-2040, http://www.RockHillCommunications.com
Writer: Christine Norris
Editors: Andrea King, Joanne Poeggel, Erin Murphy, Ron
Wozny
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, M.D. - RockHill Communications
Date Written: 3/1/01
Last Reviewed & Updated: 5/31/2003 |
